‘Day of Rage’: Anti-Israel protests draw thousands in Australia

Anti-Israel protest organizers claimed hundreds of thousands joined rallies, though police estimated the number to be far lower.

By World Israel News Staff

Tens of thousands of people across Australia participated in mass anti-Israel demonstrations on Sunday during what organizers called a nationwide “Day of Rage.”

Protests were held in major cities including Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, as well as dozens of other locations.

Organizers claimed that hundreds of thousands joined the marches, though police estimates put attendance at about 10,000 per city.

At the Sydney rally, Palestine Action Group spokesman Josh Lees said the anti-Israel movement in Australia was the “biggest it’s ever been.”

Lees said the protests reflected the public’s “demand [for] an end to this genocide in Gaza and… demand that our government sanction Israel,” drawing cheers from the crowd.

Demonstrators carried signs describing Israel’s war against Hamas as “pure evil” and repeated widely discredited claims about Israeli targeting of civilians.

Local media reported that protesters chanted “Free Palestine” and “Freedom for Gaza.”

Palestinian-Australian activist Shamikh Badra told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that turnout exceeded expectations.

“We expected it to be a huge rally, but today is more than we expected, which is important,” he said, adding that the rallies “reflect how the Australian people support Palestine” and “give us hope and strength as Palestinians.”

The demonstrations came amid sharp diplomatic tensions between Australia and Israel.

Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as “a weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews.”

Albanese recently said that Australia will formally recognize a Palestinian state in September.

Earlier in August, Australia denied a visa to Israeli Religious Zionist politician Simcha Rothman, arguing his right-wing views posed a risk to public order.

Since the October 7th Hamas massacres, antisemitic attacks and incidents in Australia have reportedly tripled in number.